Pinch hitting: Dan Barnett
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 10, 2010 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Next up in the Pinch Hitters series is Dan Barnett, who offered an outside perspective — a very outside perspective — on being a Yankees fan.
Truth is, Sam and I got several proposals asking to write a guest post about being a Yankees fan from far away. Some from middle-America, some from the West Coast, but only one from England. That was Dan’s proposal.
“I’m English, 30ish, have family in Brooklyn and New Jersey,” he wrote. “(I) have been lots to NYC and am most definitely a fan of your country, and particularly the Yanks. I know pretty much no other baseball fans over here in the UK, it’s not even a minority sport. Thankfully there’s an ESPN channel so I get to watch some games.”
———
“It’s in there, all the time, looking for a way out.” – Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch
If, like me, you’ve been raised as a sports nut, you’ll appreciate the unerring capacity that an irrational love for your sports team has to rear it’s ugly head, at any time.
When it comes to a sports team, I have already grown up with my true love. She’s called Arsenal Football Club, one of the great English soccer teams with a long tradition and history (take note, Chelsea). I have admired from afar the comments on this blog for three years, marveling at and envying the knowledge you Yankee fans have on your team. I can reciprocate – but only with respect to the Arsenal, and few of you are interested in the movie that plays regularly in my head, with the hero appearing at the far post in the last minute of the 1979 FA Cup to clinch one of the all time classic finals.
I grew up happy with my team. True, they were pretty poor through much of the 80s, as I went from child to teenager, but they were mine, and they were enough for me.
And then, in 1996 of all years, under the influence of my brother who lives in New York, I stayed awake late one October night to watch my first ever live baseball. Most of us over here are cynical, sneering, quintessentially ‘English’ about US sports in general. We dismiss baseball as “rounders”. The heavy reliance on stats, we say, is a clear indicator of a sport with no soul.
How wrong can a nation be?
That Series in 96 enhanced my view of America for good, and opened my eyes to the wonderment of (Yankee) baseball. The U.S. is a misunderstood nation abroad at the best of times, but for me it embodies much that is wonderful in the world, and the Yankees have captured my imagination ever since I first heard the thwack of a ball fired from Andy Pettitte’s left paw into Jim Leyritz’s waiting glove.
True, UZR and WAR sometimes seem beyond my ken. I still struggle not to pin too much depression onto one defeat, or to hang over-optimism onto a solitary win. But I read this blog every single day. I hang on the news of new signings, at weird hours of the night the Macbook gleefully informs me of another Mariano save, I pay $15 per month just to see 3 or 4 Yankee games on ESPN “America”.
In my heart I have found there is space for both Arsenal and the Yankees. Plenty of space. The Yankee Universe is aptly named, friends…
Erin
February 10th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Erica – always OPPC – Wishes Damon would fire Boras and COME HOME!
February 10th, 2010 at 9:18 am
I am working from home!!!!!!!!!!
******************************
Cool! Too bad you have to work-that puts somewhat of a damper on the snow day.
***********************
Tell me about it. The part that really irritates me is that they told all the administrative staff they could stay home and not be charged a vacation day. But I still have to log in my usual 12ish hours from home.
Completely fair
You should get mlbtv. Then you can watch all the games on your computer.
Nice post, but I think its needed a little bit more British slang to give it true British flair. Next time please try to work in the terms “lift” and “knickers”.
Thank you
Great job Dan
Love the Nick Hornby quote-he’s one of my favorite writers
Cool post. It’s always interesting to hear what people outside countries where baseball is popular have to say.
Erica – always OPPC – Wishes Damon would fire Boras and COME HOME!
February 10th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Nice post, but I think its needed a little bit more British slang to give it true British flair. Next time please try to work in the terms “lift” and “knickers”.
***************************
I second this.
Glad to have you aboard, mate
Great job, Dan. I can relate. I’m a die-hard Yankee fan and a die-hard Arsenal supporter, although I do have some fellow Americans who are also English football fans (though none support the Gunners).
Up the Gunners!
There’s only one Arsene Wenger.
Very nice.I remember when,in the Air Force in 67, I was stationed in England.I lived and died on The Stars & Stripes newspaper and their baseball scores,especially the Yankees.We of course were pretty bad in those days,and getting the games on military radio was iffy so the ‘day’ late scores were the best we could do.
Hi Dan
I’m also a British Yankees fan. Have you thought about getting mlb.tv? That costs about £70 for the year and gets you every single baseball game played (no games are ‘blacked out’ in Britain).
Did you choose the Yankees because they were the first team you watched or for some other reason?
http://baseballnumbers-diamond.....nkees.html
montero article saying he won’t catch
Cheerio chap! Well done! I became a Yankees (and Giants) fan around 1964 and rooted for alot of really bad teams for several years until George restored the Yankees to thier proper place, much like you and Arsenal. I thnk it builds alot of character to go through the struggles before you enjoy championships. It give you perspective and makes the winning so much sweeter.
IMO a lot of the grouchiness on this blog over the past few years stems from the fact that alot of the Yankees fans on here became fans during the dynasty years and just couldnt understand that a team can’t win the championship every year.
Great job Dan, nice to know there are Yankees fans everywhere.
One of the most exciting games we ever attended was a soccer game in Edinboro. I guess it would be the equivilent of a minor league team. Throughout the entire game the fans were cheering and singing team songs.
repost:
Erica and Erin
I was thinking about you both this am. On the opening credits of sports center they had Elmo holding a sing that said:
E Elmo
S Says
P ??
N ??- didn’t catch the last 2 letters
“Love the Nick Hornby quote-he’s one of my favorite writers”
LOL, I’m an idiot. I was going to chastise the guy for starting out a Yankee post with a quote from that awful Red Sox movie. I completely forgot it was based off a book about soccer.
“True, UZR and WAR sometimes seem beyond my ken. ”
dan-
there is a severe unemployment problem in the US.
it’s very important to read those stats so the people who produce them have something to do.
normally they would be working in investment banking, but that’s right now not working out so well ( and it’s a vicious myth that their stats and algorithms contributed to the world wide financial mess ).
i just arrived in florida and you know it’s bad when you see someone holding up a sign that says ” Will crunch stats for food”.
so show your support and read a stat today and feed a sabermetrician.
I lived in Prague and Romania for the last four years and watched almost every game on my laptop using Sling. If you cannot get mlb in the UK look into getting a Slingbox. You need a cable connection and Internet connection in the US so you need your brother in Brooklyn to rent this for you and then stick the boxes next to his existing connections. The cost might be prohibitive. It depends on the package you get but I would guess you do it for $60. That is more than you’re paying now but you would get every game the Yankees play and also get whatever cable channels you choose. And it does not matter where in the world you might be. Once you’re set up in the US you can watch US cable anywhere you can get a reasonably high speed Net connection.
upstate kate
February 10th, 2010 at 9:56 am
repost:
Erica and Erin
I was thinking about you both this am. On the opening credits of sports center they had Elmo holding a sing that said:
E Elmo
S Says
P ??
N ??- didn’t catch the last 2 letters
********************
That’s so cute!! I’m sorry I missed it. Hopefully they’ll replay it.
Best gunner ever?Dennis Bergkamp!
Thanks all for comments (providing it’s nice!)
Erica/Erin – cheers, there was a wealth of ‘cor blimeys’ and ‘how’s your fathers’ in there, but Chad has edited them out!
(I’ll refrain from getting into a diatribe reminding you who invented the lingo in the first place…!)
randy l:
Man, you’re in fine fettle this morning: “Will crunch stats for food.” Indeed!
Dano:
England and America, two countries separated by a common language.
upstate kate
February 10th, 2010 at 9:56 am
Great job Dan, nice to know there are Yankees fans everywhere.
One of the most exciting games we ever attended was a soccer game in Edinboro. I guess it would be the equivilent of a minor league team. Throughout the entire game the fans were cheering and singing team songs.
repost:
Erica and Erin
I was thinking about you both this am. On the opening credits of sports center they had Elmo holding a sing that said:
E Elmo
S Says
P ??
N ??- didn’t catch the last 2 letters
******************************
I am guessing-
Elmo
Says
Play
Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dano, you may have invented the lingo, but new yorkers perfected it!
Wonderful post, Dan.
Randy – ahhh, what would we do without your special insights. How long are you staying in Florida? You realize you’re missing the delightful northeastern weather?
BTW, that quote was from GB Shaw, not your humble correspondent, murphydog.
Great post, Dan!
The Yankees-Arsenal axis runs deep.
“Man, you’re in fine fettle this morning: “Will crunch stats for food.” Indeed!”
murphydog-
i was working on my Tr/C.
Tr/C:
Trouble per cup of coffee; a raw measure of negative posts generated by one irritating post.- murphydog
It’s amazing how Scott Boras manages to find the time to entertain the many offers he has for the services of his client, Johnny Damon.
Perhaps Damon is spurning the offers with hopes of more money in such a robust market and economy.
Thanks Bru.
Nice post, Dan.
I studied abroad in London, and life without baseball was nearly unbearable.
Might I suggest MLB.tv? It’s about the same cost as what you pay for ESPN America and you can watch the games at a more convenient time.
Nick – thanks, my man. I knew you’d be onside..
Michael – it was genuinely the first team i saw, thankfully. Plus my brother’s older than me, and had lived in NYC for a while by then, so I followed his lead.
Plus, good shout on mlb.tv. I’m looking into it now. Only good thing about ESPN is there’s the football (soccer) games on there as well..
Y’s Guy – I agree, sticking with your team through the low times basically earns you the right.
Murph – I love the language differences, I work in advertising so I’m not immune to them. Particularly like the words ‘pants’ and ‘fanny’..
I’m a die hard yankees fan, who grew up playing soccer. Arsenal is my team when it comes to soccer. Go GUNners! Anyhow, it’s nice to see the Yanks get love from across the pond.
catch ft that is
No work today, yay! Of course that means dealing with probably a foot of snow – ick
joe from long island-
dan mentioned that there are not a lot of baseball fans in the UK, and luckily for him that means few red sox fans. unfortunately on cape cod that’s not the case , so it’s good to get away from time to time.
this year, just to get rid of being reminded of #27, the collection they took up to get me out of town should be enough to keep me down here through spring training.
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day
February 10th, 2010 at 10:31 am
No work today, yay! Of course that means dealing with probably a foot of snow – ick
***********
So lucky. I had to bring my work home with me
randy l:
“Tr/C:
Trouble per cup of coffee; a raw measure of negative posts generated by one irritating post.- murphydog”
Designed with you in mind
Dano:
Lost touch with a friend/fellow lawyer a few years back. Chinese lady, but a genuine Londoner, here to get an American law degree and then worked for a gigantic NY based law firm, splitting time between her Greenwich Village flat and another one the firm paid for when she was working in their office in London. Learned quite a few charming idioms.
Cheers mate.
It’s great to get the perspective from one of our brothers (or sisters?) from across the pond.
But in the future I would refrain from referencing “Fever Pitch” as it was transformed into a totally unwatchable film about the Red Sox. And it stars Jimmy Fallon.
It’s akin to turning “Pride of the Yankees” into “Pride of the Manchester United” for London audiences.
Good to read from other European baseball fans. I’m from Austria myself and have been a Yankees and baseball fan since watching a game at the stadium in 2004.
Since then I’ve probably seen (almost) all Yankee games via MLB.TV.
I like that so few people here are interested in baseball – it (most of the time) prevents spoilers in the local media or when talking to friends.
Bronx Jeers
February 10th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Cheers mate.
It’s great to get the perspective from one of our brothers (or sisters?) from across the pond.
But in the future I would refrain from referencing “Fever Pitch” as it was transformed into a totally unwatchable film about the Red Sox. And it stars Jimmy Fallon.
*****************
I kind of liked Fever Pitch. If you ignored the concept about it being about Red Sox fans, and just thought of Jimmy Fallon as a maniacal fan of any other team it was a really cute movie about true fandom.
Plus, it had a Johnny Damon cameo
randy l.
“i just arrived in florida and you know it’s bad when you see someone holding up a sign that says ” Will crunch stats for food”.”
You don’t have to be able to do math to appreciate advanced stats.
You only need an open mind.
Bronx Jeers
February 10th, 2010 at 10:36 am
But in the future I would refrain from referencing “Fever Pitch” as it was transformed into a totally unwatchable film about the Red Sox. And it stars Jimmy Fallon.
*************************
My brother made the mistake of seeing it in the theater, and he actually walked out at the end when it got to that horrible ALCS footage. lol
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10......html?_r=1
Wow – what a story. My heart breaks for Marcus Thames’ mom, but she sounds like an incredibly strong person.
Erica,
It had it’s moments.
I like the scene when they’re divvying up the tickets.
And I like the end when Drew Barrymore runs to him from centerfield and when she gets to him all he wants to know is if the outfield grass is “spongy”.
And it’s funny this movie came up today as I have something funny to tell you.
A friend I work with was checking out the blog just yesterday and was commenting to me about some of the posters and the “personalities” that become apparent from reading their respective posts.
He thought that you might be the girl from “Fever Pitch” that yells to Johnny how he’s got “… the sweetest buns in the league”
Randy – We have plans to go to Tampa for a long weekend in March. I was happy, making plans to see some Yankee ST and maybe a side trip to Clearwater to catch the Phils in their park (supposed to be pretty nice park). What could be better, right? However, the wife got it into her head to go to the Everglades to commune with nature. Just what I want, gators and snakes. Almost as bad as Red Sox fans.
Erica how much snow is there today? Expecting any tomorrow?
Bad luck having to put in a twelve hour day. Better than being old and cranky like me though. LOL!
LOL, I’m an Arsenal fan as well just like this guy.
“a long tradition and history”
Unfortunately it is a history of cheating and having some of the scummiest players ever to wear a shirt, a history Chelski are catching up on
Usptate Kate.
If the game you saw in Edinburgh was Hearts v Hibs I’d love to hear you tell them it’s minor league as it really isn’t even that level in Scotland, even though they think it’s the bigs.
GREAT, thoughtful post!!
Dan, it must’ve killed you like it killed me when they turned Hornby’s brilliant book about the Arsenal into a floater about the Goddamn Red Sox.
“You don’t have to be able to do math to appreciate advanced stats.
You only need an open mind.
rich in nj-
will a sense of humor get in the way ?
Bronx Jeers
February 10th, 2010 at 10:53 am
A friend I work with was checking out the blog just yesterday and was commenting to me about some of the posters and the “personalities” that become apparent from reading their respective posts.
He thought that you might be the girl from “Fever Pitch” that yells to Johnny how he’s got “… the sweetest buns in the league”
***********
Hahaha. When i came home from the parade and started watching the coverage on TV- when the Johnny Damon float when by I could have sworn I heard myself screaming “Come back Johnny, Come Back!!!”
Toxic
yes, it was the Hearts! I didn’t mean anything derogatory by comparing the game to the minor leagues. It was very loud and exciting. It was an adventure just walking to the stadium, as all the fans were pouring out of the bars/pubs.
Erica, I’m happy and not so happy as tomorrow I’m going to have a lot of work to catch up on – we all will. Still, it’s better than having to drive in this garbage (even though I work only 10 minutes from home)
Comet
February 10th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Erica how much snow is there today? Expecting any tomorrow?
Bad luck having to put in a twelve hour day. Better than being old and cranky like me though. LOL!
**************
Right now there is only a few inches, but its supposed to intensify as the afternoon goes on. They are using the “B” word- blizzard!!!
I think its supposed to stop tonigt.
I can’t really complain about working from home. At least they didn’t make me go there. But its just so annoying that the professional staff still has to work, when everyone else in the firm is getting a free day off
He thought that you might be the girl from “Fever Pitch” that yells to Johnny how he’s got “… the sweetest buns in the league”
____________________________________________________________
I’m sorry, we all know the captain wins that contest
I refuse to watch Fever Pitch! It goes against my morals(lol). My mom for some reason really likes the movie and always tells me I should see it. My response is usally “are you KIDDING me”.
“The U.S. is a misunderstood nation abroad at the best of times, but for me it embodies much that is wonderful in the world, and the Yankees have captured my imagination ever since I first heard the thwack of a ball fired from Andy Pettitte’s left paw into Jim Leyritz’s waiting glove.”
Great line and very true
and Joe from LI..the Phillies Clearwater Park is very nice, definitely stay away from the super snakes in the Everglades and head to Clearwater and Tampa
Today I’m totally rocking my winter Yankee hat with the ear flaps.
It’s wool…it’s fleece …the brim keeps the snow out of your eyes…..it’s awesome!
randy i
“will a sense of humor get in the way ?”
Oh, this time your critique was all in fun? *slaps head*
NYY626
February 10th, 2010 at 11:13 am
He thought that you might be the girl from “Fever Pitch” that yells to Johnny how he’s got “… the sweetest buns in the league”
____________________________________________________________
I’m sorry, we all know the captain wins that contest
************************
No, no, no that honor goes to Robbie the ninja.
Guys, I had NO idea they tarnished what was a classic book/film about growing up with an English soccer team, into some thing about the Red Sox.
I would at least have made a joke about it.
Thankfully some things don’t make it across the pond…
Bronx Jeers
February 10th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Today I’m totally rocking my winter Yankee hat with the ear flaps.
It’s wool…it’s fleece …the brim keeps the snow out of your eyes…..it’s awesome!
****************
Good for you!!!
I am totally rocking my flannel pj pants with the snowmen on them
Scott Boras on the Cowherd’s show at 12:10EST ….will be interesting what spin he throws out about Damon
Dano
February 10th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Guys, I had NO idea they tarnished what was a classic book/film about growing up with an English soccer team, into some thing about the Red Sox.
I would at least have made a joke about it.
Thankfully some things don’t make it across the pond…
**********************
You’re lucky-you’re not missing much.
NYY626
February 10th, 2010 at 11:13 am
He thought that you might be the girl from “Fever Pitch” that yells to Johnny how he’s got “… the sweetest buns in the league”
____________________________________________________________
I’m sorry, we all know the captain wins that contest
************************
No, no, no that honor goes to Robbie the ninja.
———————————————————-
My wife, who is no fan of baseball, can name most Yankees by face and can actually name quite a few by their butt.
She sys Jorge is the easiest.
“Scott Boras on the Cowherd’s show at 12:10EST ….will be interesting what spin he throws out about Damon”
He’s going to say the same thing he said on MLB XM Radio yesterday which is spin it in a way that makes it look like the Yankees didn’t want Damon and that a four year contract was never on the table from their side. Also, that NJ’s contract made that 2 year offer from the Yankees a non-offer.
Bronx Jeers
that is too funny. Most of my friends are not baseball fans. I tell them “men in tight uniforms, what is there not to like!”
Bronx Jeers
February 10th, 2010 at 11:24 am
My wife, who is no fan of baseball, can name most Yankees by face and can actually name quite a few by their butt.
She sys Jorge is the easiest.
********************
That’s hilarious!
“Oh, this time your critique was all in fun? *slaps head*”
rich in NJ-
do you measure your slaps in pounds per square inch ( PSI ) or do you just kind of feel the right amount of whack?
Yankee fan living in Stirling, Scotland – seven months of the year I live on MLB.tv, the other five months I hibernate…
Good post – not much of an Arsenal fan myself, prefer rugby.
I’ll save you guys the time and tell you what Scott will say:
Johnny loves Bern’s Steak House in Tampa and eats there everytime he is in the city.
Johnny loves octopus and eats it everytime he is in Detroit.
Johnny loves grits and eats them everytime he is in Atlanta.
When you have messed up this entire negotiation as he has, you go for the food angle to find Johnny a job.
It seems that it was Cashman who told Jeter to work with that new trainer last offseason:
“So Cashman took Jeter to dinner in Manhattan and told the Yankees captain that his sideto- side actions must improve. Jeter has an outsized athletic arrogance. He believes in himself completely, which allows him to deftly block out criticism and negativity. This trait enables him to thrive in the cauldron, but also prevents him from seeing personal shortcomings the way others perceive them. Still, to his credit, he agreed to try a new way.
With the Yankees paying the bills, Jeter enlisted Jason Riley, the director of performance at the Athletes Compound in Tampa. Riley formulated a plan to increase Jeter’s first-step quickness, particularly in fielding grounders to his left. Power lifting was diminished, agility — especially in the hips — was empha – sized , weight was lost. The results came slowly at first in 2008 and in a wave last year when Jeter had one of his finest defensive seasons”
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....z0f9TJkf3Q
Don’t know if this has been posted yet, but on Tuesday Damon had this to say about joining the Braves:
One day his agent is proclaiming his love of octopus in order to brown nose the Tigers. The next day he’s texting writers in Atlanta saying that the Braves are at the “top of the list.”
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports......us.php.php
If Johnny loves the sight of junkyards, the smell of raw sewage and the sound of jet engines then perhaps he can play in Flushing?
and when Damon finally signs, he’ll probably utter the famous damage control phrase, ‘It was never about the money. It’s about feeling wanted, and this team showed they really wanted me’ LOL!!!!!!!!
“SJ44 February 10th, 2010 at 11:36 am
I’ll save you guys the time and tell you what Scott will say:
Johnny loves Bern’s Steak House in Tampa and eats there everytime he is in the city.
Johnny loves octopus and eats it everytime he is in Detroit.
Johnny loves grits and eats them everytime he is in Atlanta.
When you have messed up this entire negotiation as he has, you go for the food angle to find Johnny a job.”
ha I’ll guess Atlanta for now if they offer…he lives minutes from their spring training park in Orlando..I’m guessing that’s where he prefers to play
The Bergen Record wrote about that a couple of months ago, without the obnoxious use of the word “arrogant”. Jeter is hyper confident, not arrogant. Per the BR article, Jeter doesn’t pay attention to overly negative things (which tend to also be overly obnoxious) said about him and good for him. Why SHOULD he pay attention to these people? That sounds like a Sherman article – I have no intention of reading it (though, thanks for posting Tom) as I don’t like the anti-Jeter attitude. The guy makes it sound like a surprise that Jeter would actually listen to Cash or that he’s actually not a stubborn mule.
Nice post, Dano.
I don’t know when I crossed the line from “baseball’s like watching grass grow” to being a baseball “fan”atic. But there’s no going back!
SJ, Damon has messed this up as badly as Boras. That said, you’re right and I’m not sure why anyone would want to hear what Boras has to say.
Hey. Nice Post. Just a thought, maybe you should invest in mlb.tv so you can watch more yankee games over the pond. I bought it to watch more out of market games, for you every game is an out of market game!
Not sure if this has been posted yet, but Come on You Spurs!
Good article by Sherman.
Thanks Tom.
It’s interesting that Sherman believes the contract could be in the 4yr/25mil per range.
That’s just inconceivable for a 36 year old.
I’ll tell you one thing though and I I’ll admit it’s very early to be talking like this but.. a Jeter paycut? That might be just as outlandish as giving him 25 mil for 4 yrs.
There aren’t any athletes of Jeter’s skill level who don’t have a high level of confidence. You can’t make it without it.
Too many members of the media are straining themselves to make this a controversial story.
Right now, Jeter continues to play the game at an extremely high level. So is Mo for that matter.
If they continue to do so, they will be paid accordingly by the Yankees.
It’s a non-story. Especially since negotiations haven’t even taken place yet.
It’s Derek Freaking Jeter anx Mariano Freaking Rivera. The Yankees will get deals done with both and it won’t cripple the franchise.
For those who think otherwise, cite me examples of Jeter and/or Mo doing ANYTHING to hurt the franchise.
Both guys get it, as does the team. That’s why the deals will get done.
Wow. Hated that Volkswagen super bowl commercial where everybody’s punching each other (what’s with that? we gentle islanders pinch!)
Was hating on the new one right now. And then the last scene was Stevie Wonder punching Tracy Morgan.
It seems that the whole damon thing comes down to a second year. even if he signs for 2/$7, they will declare victory. But considering the drop off in his defense and the pretty constant problems with his legs, its understandable that nobody wants to give him 2 years. personally i question whether he will finish 2011 on an mlb roster.
who are these people doing “pinch hitting?” is it random readers? i missed it.
GREAT POST DAN!!!
Manchester United fan here, but Arsenal are a team and organization to be greatly admired.
I’m with you on Chelsea, their history runs deep……
to about 2004-05 when they bought their 1st ever Premier League title IIRC, a la the Red Sox buying their 1st title in 86 yrs.
m,
Was very disappointed with the Chevy Chase-Beverly DeAngelo commercial. Got alot of hype, and turned out to be a dud. I really liked the one where Betty White and Abe Vogoda got tackled.
m
February 10th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Wow. Hated that Volkswagen super bowl commercial where everybody’s punching each other (what’s with that? we gentle islanders pinch!)
**********************
That one was really strange. My two favorites were the one with Betty White and Coke’s “sleepwalker” . Love my Coca Cola
JohnC
February 10th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
m,
Was very disappointed with the Chevy Chase-Beverly DeAngelo commercial. Got alot of hype, and turned out to be a dud.
**********************
I think I must have missed that one. I don’t remember it at all. Glad to hear I didn’t miss much.
JohnC,
The quality in general was bad, but seemed to get better as the game went on.
The Doritos commercials, some of the Bud Light commercials, and the FloBee (Flomo? ) ones pretty some of the better ones.
Chevy Chase just isn’t the same anymore. He looks too much like Steve Martin!
Bronx Jeers
February 10th, 2010 at 11:24 am
NYY626
February 10th, 2010 at 11:13 am
He thought that you might be the girl from “Fever Pitch” that yells to Johnny how he’s got “… the sweetest buns in the league”
____________________________________________________________
I’m sorry, we all know the captain wins that contest
************************
No, no, no that honor goes to Robbie the ninja.
———————————————————-
My wife, who is no fan of baseball, can name most Yankees by face and can actually name quite a few by their butt.
She sys Jorge is the easiest.
____________________________________________________________
Jorge’s is the easiest! LOL that is hysterical. Like your wife, I too can name most of the players by their butts, but unlike, I’m a BIG fan of baseball. Cute men in tight pants is just a perk
I don’t think the Jeter negotiations will be a problem as he and the Yankees have a great relationship. I don’t think Jeter is going to try and “screw” the Yankees nor do I think that the Yankees are going to try and “screw” Jeter. One problem I have with NYYFans.com is that most there think Jeter is overpaid and would rather see him walk than the Yanks overpay him by even one dollar.
The Mo negotiations might be trickier – Mo has an iron will and we saw a few years ago that he was willing to walk.
I just saw a great Pepsi commercial yesterday (forget what it was tho!) and IIRC Pepsi bowed out of the SB this year. Anyone know why?
Hated all the Coke commercials. The Simpsons one was lame!
Erin,
Did you like all the other boxer/briefs commercials? A ton of skivvies. Does that even appeal to the male target group? Gross!
m,
My favorite commercial was the Doritos one where the man is coming to date the mother and the little boy tells him not to touch his mother or the Doritos.
m
February 10th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Erin,
Did you like all the other boxer/briefs commercials? A ton of skivvies. Does that even appeal to the male target group? Gross!
*******************
LOL-I think they appeal more to women than to men. Maybe the thought is the wife/girlfriend will like the commercial and go out and buy some for their guy???
I was not impressed w/ this years Super Bowl commercials. I was even disappointed by this year’s sappy bud clydesdale commercial.
“I just saw a great Pepsi commercial yesterday (forget what it was tho!) and IIRC Pepsi bowed out of the SB this year. Anyone know why?”
It’s related to their new Pepsi Refresh campaign, described as “a first-of-its-kind experiment in social media that invests the brand in community-building projects”. Due to the budget ($30M, I think) and the apparent conflict they decided sit out.
As for Jeter, I could see him volunteering to do a creatively structured contract. He would want to get paid, but I could see him wanting the Yankees continue to put a quality product out there. (of course, he’s a huge draw himself~especially as he approaches 3000 hits). Maybe some bonuses?
Cash: So? How do we approach this?
Jeter: Aw, man. You know…I know you got screwed by Hank and Al. How about we defer some money until 2018?
Cash: Thanks, big guy, you’re the best. Minka film the pilot yet?
Nice article by Sherman. As SJ44 said, I think this gets done as both sides want it (not like the Damon negotiations, or non-negotiations). But, Sherman got people reading and talking about it on a slow baseball day. Not a bad job.
As a side note, I remember reading a few months ago that this Jeter and his defense issue was a sore point between Cash and Joe Torre in 2007 – where Cash wanted Torre, as manager, to address it and Torre failing to do so. Reportedly, Jeter told Cash that Torre never spoke to him about it. If true, then it may be part of the hard feelings that played into Girardi getting the job of manager, instead of Torre’s right-hand man, Don Mattingly.
Fran,
Was on the fence about that one. But I watched “Role Models” last night and I’ve decided I liked that one. That movie was going nowhere fast, but I ended up loving it! Even the lame Battle Royale arc ended up being a great thing.
ST hasn’t even started and people are worried about Jeter, Mo, and Girardi’s contracts?
Why would anyone waste their time worrying about this.
Like SJ said it’s Derek Freaking Jeter and Mariano Freaking Rivera. Enjoy the season and everything will take care of itself after the season.
Writers are looking for any easy thing to get stories out of and that’s all it is. Don’t feed the beast.
As for Girardi, he just won the freaking World Series. Why the heck is anyone concerned about him having lame duck status? There is zero reason for him to have any worries about his job security.
New Post: A moment in time
Sorry, that might not be clear. The boy in Role Models reminded me of that boy in the Doritos commercial. Ended liking both the commercial and the movie.
“The people there take wonderful care of their athletes”?! Spin, Scott, Spin!
New post.
Also, to quote Dan in the comments: “there was a wealth of ‘cor blimeys’ and ‘how’s your fathers’ in there, but Chad has edited them out!”
Trust me when I tell you, Dan’s kidding. If I get a chance to use “cor blimey” on the blog, I’m doing it!
Neither Mo nor Jeter are going anywhere Betsy.
The internet is a wonderful tool for communication. However, some of the dorks that run some of these websites talk a good game (“Let Jeter walk”) and are first in line to second guess if something they want doesn’t work out.
“Overpaid” is an interesting word in sports. Most people who use it have no idea what it means.
I could make a pretty compelling argument that not only is Derek Jeter not overpaid, he may be underpaid.
What he brings to the franchise is measured as much by what he does off the field as what he does on the field.
Luxury suites are sold because Derek Jeter is a member of the Yankees. Corporations such as Ford and Bank of America do big business in large part because of what guys like Jeter and Rivera bring to the table.
Fans buy tickets and jerseys because of Jeter.
The value of the franchise has gone up significantly since Jeter’s arrival in 1996. Is he the sole reason for the over 50% increase in the franchise’s value since 1996? No but, he certainly is a major factor.
You take ALL of that into consideration when working out his new deal.
And oh by the way, the guy has 5 rings, has played a major role in winning all 5 rings AND can still play at a very high level.
Now, so called “advanced thinkers” want him to take a paycut because their “projections” suggest he will slip as a player.
That’s why you play out the year before negotiating with him. If there is slippage, you take that into account when you negotiate his new deal. Conversely, if there isn’t, you also take it into account.
Either way, neither Jeter nor Rivera are going anywhere. Both understand their brand is stronger being Yankees than it is being with any other franchise.
These deals will get done and with the exception of the whiny sofa scouts or extreme prospect huggers, everyone will go forward and it will be business as usual.
CR9 – thanks for the approval, and I reciprocate.
You’re dead right about Chelsea, their fans (at least most of the real ones over here) seem to bear similarities with the Sox’s – a devastating mix of smug, aggressive and unpleasant.
i love don mattingly, he was a great yankee and one of my all time favorite ballplayers.
That being said, thank goodness that Cashman didn’t go with the fan favorite and instead hired Joe Girardi to manage. Girardi had displayed a better demeanor throughout his time in the majors and as a coach and also had demonstrated his ablity with the fish and won manager of the year. Mattingly might have been my second choice, but not a close second.
I dont get why guys like Willie Randolph and Don Mattingly seem to think that because they were excellent, long-term Yankees that they can bypass going somewhere else to learn and demonstrate managing ability before becoming a Yankees manager. There is no reason the Yankees should take a chance on a guy with no management experience when they have a $200M payroll and the most demanding manager’s job in baseball. I love Donny Baseball, but c’mon guy, show us you have something to offer and don’t just expect a coronation based on your popularity.
The money will be the easy part of a Jeter negotiation. Years might be a bigger question and sentimentality could be the biggest.
The Yankees can afford to eat millions of dollars a year but would have a harder time fighting the PR battle if it became necessary to change a role against a players wishes or even benching such a popular player because of the impact it could have on the team.
I’m really excited by the Yanks-Arsenal connection. I’m a huge fan of this blog and read it every day, but I don’t remember the Gunners ever being mentioned before. I’ve been a die-hard Yankee fan for over 50 years (the last 25 behind enemy lines in Massachusetts), and a soccer fan for almost as long, but only just recently started supporting Arsenal since I’ve been able to get Premier League matches on cable.I think Arsene Wenger needs to take a page from Brian Cashman’s book and bring in a free agent striker during the next transfer window.
Nice post Dano!
I was born in England actually, up near Wigan, but root for Man United. Glad to have you on board old chap!
Saint
Nice piece Dan
I’m with you as a fan from the UK
A born Liverpool supporter (my religion)
a born again Yankee fan (my passion)
Dan,
UK-resident Yankees fans – that rare breed. Nice to hear from another, especially one who has good taste in footie too. =D
You really should think about MLB.tv – I started subscribing a couple of years ago and the service is pretty good most of the time – and cheaper for the amount of games compared with ESPN-A.
That said, stick to ESPN-A for the World Series – MLB.tv sticks you with *pulls face* FOX. It’s not pleasant.
Didn’t know there were so many English Yankee fans and lo Hud blog readers… always thought it was just me!! no consensus on the footie though as I’m a hammer.
Hopefully espn America will stay afloat with all us committed subscribers but the previous poster is right, mlb.tv is a good service provided you have decent broadband and it’s not too pricey especially when the exchange rate is (or should that be was!) good… c’mon the pound!!!
I am amazed at how many UK Yankee fans we have on the blog. Nice to hear from you.
Test
Wow, what a great post. I am you in reverse. I found “Fever Pitch” in a used book store in Japan in 2003. I knew nothing about Arsenal and now I am gutted as the next gooner when Wenger fails to pick up a much needed striker in the transfer window. It is the only book I have ever read that truly understands what it is like to be a real fan. Hornby is a good writer and this is his best. It is a shame it was turned into an ok UK movie and a really bad American one.